She also proposes the sale of the force's headquarters building at Newby Wiske, near Northallerton.

The public can give their views on the five-year plan until mid-March.

The North Yorkshire force currently has just over 150 special constables and almost 200 PCSOs.

Miss Mulligan said volunteers would not be replacing officers.

"Volunteers and special constables do a slightly different job. What I am specifically trying to do is find people who are based in their local communities, who live there, to be the eyes and the ears of the police in those communities," she said.